Economic Stimulus Package Provides Incentives for Digitizing Medical Records

The U.S. Congress set aside $19 billion to digitize healthcare records as part of the economic stimulus package, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

The federal government has set a 2014 deadline for completing this process, which has been previously delayed for many reasons including lack of universal data collection protocols and no set rules for data sharing. Fear of liability should this information fall into the wrong hands has also stopped many physicians and hospitals from making their records electronic.

According to the report, the federal government would offer incentives for healthcare providers who digitize their records. Physicians and practices would receive $44,000-$64,000 whereas hospitals could receive $11 million. Those physicians and facilities who treat Medicare and Medicaid patients could risk losing their funding if records are not computerized.

Read the Los Angeles Times' report on digital medical records.